Switch



June 19, 1945. H. THORPE, JR

SWITCH Filed Jan. 4; 1944 Patented June 19, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE SWITCH I Herbert Thorpe, In, South Bend, Ind. Application January 4, 1944, Serial No. 516,961

2 Claims.

' This invention relates to a switch especially adapted for controlling th electric ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle or similar device as well as the electric starter circuit, and has for the primary object the provision of an efilcient'and economical I device of the above stated character which will rangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illustratin terminal type resilientcontacts I6. The annular flange l has secured thereto and operating inthe chamber 8 a contact mounting H on a switch constructed in accordance with my in- 'on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating plunger forming a part of the switch.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates a housing the external construction of which may be varied to permit the easy mounting or application thereof on a motor vehicle or similar device. Internally the housing 5 is provided with a cylindrical bore 6, a recess 1 and a chamber 8. The bearing opening 6 is formed by an internal enlargement 9 in the housing which also provides annular shoulders l0 and H. The shoulder I0 is located in the recess 1 and the shoulder II is located in the chamber 8.

A sleeve I2 is slidable in the'bearing opening, 6 of the housing and is provided with a slot I 3 and annular end flanges l4 and I5. The flange I5 is located in the chamber 8 while the annular flange l4 may move into and out of the recess '1 during the sliding movement of the sleeve l2.

The annular flange l4 has mounted thereon which is secured contacts l8 electrically connected by an annular member I9 secured to the mounting ll. Opposing the contacts l8 are terminal type contacts 26 mounted in a removable head 2] which'forms a closure for the chainber 8.

Interposed between the head 2| and the mounting I1 is a coil spring 22 acting normally to seatthe annular flange l5 against the shoulder H with the contacts 18 spaced from the contacts 20; The positioning of the annular flange i5 against the stop H by the'spring 22 locates the annular flange l4 outwardly of the recess! of the housing 5. Interposed between the shoulder 10 and the-annular flange I4 is a coil spring 23 also acting to urge the sleeve I2 into position of having the annular flange IS in abutment with th shoulder I l of the housing.

The terminal type contacts l6 are connected in the ignition circuit of the engine for opening and closing said circuit. The terminal contacts 20 are connected in the starter'circuit of the engine for the purpose of controlling said starter circuit.

Whenever the contacts l8 are disengaged from the contacts 20, the starter circuit is open.

. A plunger 24 is slidably mounted in the sleeve and protrudes outwardly thereof as well as the housing 5 and has formed therein a notch 25 as well as a substantially U shaped groove 26. Mounted on the plunger 24 exteriorly of the sleeve and the housing for a limited rotation is a collar 21 provided with a finger piece 28. A set screw 29 is carried by the collar 21 and extends into the substantially U shaped groove 26. The collar 21 carries electrically connected spaced contacts 30 for bridging the contacts [6 when engaged therewith to close the ignition system of the engine.

An enlargement 3| is formedon the housing 5 and carries a key operated lock 32 of a conventional construction, the barrel of which is indicated by the character 34 and is provided with an extension 35 which extends through the slot l3 of the sleeve into the notch 25 of the plunger 24. When th lock is positioned as shown in Figure 1 and the key removed, the plunger is locked against sliding movement and with the set screw 29 located in the lower branch of .the substantially U-shaped groove 26 of the plunger the collar 21 is positioned to disengage the contacts 30 from the contacts 5 interrupting the ignition system of the engine. At this time the contacts l8 are also disengaged from the contacts 20 interrupting the starter circuit. Thus it will be seen that the engine cannot be started under its own power with the parts positioned as shown in Figure 1.- Also it is indicated clearly in Figure 1 that the collar 21 cannotbe rotated on the plunger 24 owing to the set screw 29 being located in the lower leg portion of the substantially U shaped groove 26 of the plunger, consequently the contacts 30 cannot be made to engage with the contacts 16 at this time.

To place the switch in operation, the key is inserted in the lock and barrel 34 thereof is turned in a counter clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1, causing an endwise movement of the plunger 24 bringing the set screw 2'9 of the collar 21 in alignment with the vertical portion of the substantially U shaped groove. The operator or driver then rotates the collar 2'! by grasping the finger piece 28 to move the set screw in alignment with the upper leg portion of the substantially U shaped groove 26. An inward push on the finger piece 28v in the direction of the housing brings about sliding movement of the sleeve l2. The rotation of the collar 21: relative to the plunger engages the contacts 30 with the contacts I6 in closing the ignition system. The said sliding movement of the sleeve l2 by the finger :piece 28 by the operator brings the contacts 18 into engagement with the contacts 20 closing the starter circuit. Consequently the starter rotates the engine and as soon as the engine starts under its own power, the driver releases the finger piece 28 and the springs 22 and 23 act to slide the sleeve in a reverse direction breaking the starter circuit by disengaging the contacts l8 from the contacts 20. The engine may then operate under its own power until the driver wishes to stop the engine and in order to do so the driver rotates the collar' 21 on the plunger disengaging the contacts 3:0 from the contacts 16. The screw 29 then travels inv the vertical portion of the substantially U shaped groove and comes opposite the lower leg portion of said groove so that when the driver inserts the key in the lock and turns the key barrel, in a clockwise direction, the plunger is returned to its initial position as shown in Figure 1. In this position the collar 21 cannot be rotated by the finger :piece 28, consequently preventing the ignition system circuit from being. closed.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Lil

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a switch, a housing, a sleeve slidable in s d housin means for limiting the sliding of said sleeve, bridging contacts carried by said sleeve, starter circuit contacts carried by said housing, tension means normally positioning the sleeve to disengage the bridging contacts from the starter circuit contacts, ignition circuit contacts carried by said sleeve, a plunger slidable in the sleeve and extending therefrom and havin a substantially U shaped groove, a manually operated collar journaled on the plunger and including a set screw extending into thegroove for controlling the rotation of the sleeve on the plunger, bridging contacts carried by said collar to be manually engaged and disengaged from the ignition contacts by movement of the sleeve relative to the plunger, and a key controlled means for effecting sliding movement of the plunger to position the substantially U shaped groove to .permit manual movement of the sleeve relative to the plunger and for non-movement relative thereto.

2. ma switch, a housing, a sleeve slidable in said housing, means for limiting the sliding of said sleeve, bridging contacts carried by said sleeve, starter circuit contacts carried by said housing, tension means normally positioning the sleeve to disengage the bridging contacts from the starter circuit contacts, ignition circuit contacts carried by said sleeve, a plunger slidable in the sleeve and extending therefrom and having a substantially U shaped groove, a manually operated collar journaled on the plunger and including a set screw extending into the groove for controlling the rotation of the sleeve on the plunger, bridging contacts carried by said collar to be manually engaged and disengaged from the ignition contacts by movement of the sleeve relative to the plunger, said plunger having a notch, and a key operated lock carried by the housing and including an extension engaging in the notch for effectingv sliding movement of the plunger by the manual actuation of the lock. to vary the positionv of the substantially U shaped groove with respectto the set screw topermit manual move-- ment of the collar for engaging the second named bridging, contacts with the ignition circuit contacts and for engaging the first named bridging contacts with the starter circuit contacts and for non-movement of the sleeve relative to the :plunger to prevent the engagement of said circuit contacts by the bridging contacts.

HERBERT THORPE, JR. 

